ST. LOUIS – St. Louis police are giving a close look at the strategy behind a weekend crackdown that flooded downtown with extra patrols, aiming to curb chaos before it could erupt. With teens dodging curfews and fireworks lighting up city blocks, officials say the response was swift and just the beginning.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) held a news conference Sunday evening to address the situation, revealing that 82 people were arrested since Thursday, including 56 juveniles. Police seized 46 guns, marking a 130% increase compared to last year.
“It was a little out of hand and the kids are getting crazy downtown here with the fireworks,” said Patrick McGlenn, owner of Stadium Liquor, who witnessed the chaos firsthand.
McGlenn described seeing at least five people openly carrying firearms, including some with long rifles. He expressed concern about the danger posed by fireworks to the old buildings with wooden roofs downtown.
Despite the chaos, McGlenn supports the SLMPD’s efforts to remove guns from the streets and believes that fireworks should be controlled and used legally in designated areas.
Officers issued citations for various offenses, including possessing fireworks, resisting arrest, assaulting police, felony fleeing, and operating ATVs illegally downtown. St. Louis Police Chief Robert Tracy emphasized the goal of prevention over punishment.
“I hope this business owner can see exactly what was done this year. We have hope instead of handcuffs for the kids,” he said. “I would like to have hope for the business leaders that were here. We’re going to put the best plan in place.”
SLMPD plans to meet with city leaders and business owners to discuss the potential expansion of the parent citation initiative for future downtown events. The department aims to implement the best possible safety plan moving forward.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published.
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